Region 9 girls basketball: Canyon View, Cedar, Desert Hills and Pine View win big at home

Written by Jeff Richards
January 21, 2021
Jaden Johnson hits a layup for Canyon View basketball in its home win over Snow Canyon, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 21, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George / Cedar City News

ST. GEORGE — All four home teams were victorious and no game was decided by fewer than 10 points as the third week of Region 9 girls basketball wrapped Thursday night.

Here are recaps from the action:

Cedar 48, Crimson Cliffs 38

The Cedar Reds outlasted the determined Crimson Cliffs Mustangs, winning 48-38 at home.

Early in the first quarter, Crimson’s Riann Gines rebounded a missed free throw and scored from underneath the basket to make the score 6-5 in favor of Cedar. The Reds then went on a 9-0 run, eventually leading 17-7 by the end of the first quarter.

Crimson Cliffs at Cedar, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 21, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Crimson Cliffs fought back, with Gines scoring a couple early baskets in the second quarter to make it 17-13. Freshman Ashtin Hansen swished a 3-pointer a few minutes later to bring the Mustangs within four points again, 22-18.

In the closing seconds of the second quarter, Cedar’s lead was down to just three points, 24-21, when Cedar’s Grace Morales got fouled while making an inside shot. She converted the plus-one FT, then swished two more foul shots that were awarded when a technical foul was called on Crimson.

Morales’ five-point play just before halftime boosted the Reds’ cushion to eight points, and Cedar was able to keep the Mustangs at bay the rest of the way. Cedar outscored Crimson 8-7 during the third and 11-10 during the fourth to finish with the 10-point win.

Morales finished with a game-high 16 points for Cedar, while teammate McKelle Kerns added 11.

For the Mustangs, Gines finished with 12 points, while Kenadee Richey added 10.

Cedar improves to 7-6 overall, 4-2 in Region 9. The Reds’ next game is at home against Desert Hills on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Crimson dropped to 2-10 overall, 0-6 in region. The Mustangs will host Snow Canyon on Tuesday, with both teams looking for their first region win.

Canyon View 57, Snow Canyon 40

At Canyon View, the Falcons won their second straight game this week, posting a 57-40 victory over Snow Canyon.

Canyon View got the jump on the Warriors, taking a 19-10 lead after one quarter and boosting that to 31-14 at halftime.

Snow Canyon at Canyon View, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 21, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The two teams then played evenly the rest of the way, with the third quarter score being 11-11 and the fourth being 15-15.

“I wish that we’d tipped in a few more in the third quarter and a few more in the fourth, so they don’t come back,” Canyon View coach Jaycee Barnhurst said. “I think they got within 11 at one point. For me, that was too close for comfort tonight, because they played well in the second half. If they would have played that way the whole game, it would have been a lot scarier.”

Harlee Nicoll led Canyon View’s balanced scoring attack with 14 points, while Erin Robinson added eight and Addison Newman scored seven. All in all, eight different players scored for the Falcons.

“We scored in double digits all four quarters, which we haven’t done this year,” Barnhurst added. “So that was big for us tonight.”

Snow Canyon was paced by Tyler Mooring’s 14 points, while Natalie Olson added 11.

Canyon View improved to 5-9 overall, 2-4 in Region 9. The Falcons will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak next Tuesday when they host Hurricane.

Snow Canyon fell to 1-11 overall with the loss, 0-6 in region play. The Warriors travel to Crimson Cliffs to face the Mustangs next Tuesday.

Pine View 82, Hurricane 31

The Panthers asserted dominance early and often, cruising to a 50-point victory at home in Averi Papa’s return to the lineup after missing a game due to illness.

Hurricane took an early lead on a Madi Staples layup just over a minute into the game but Alex Olson drained a 3-pointer on the resulting Pine View possession. It initiated a nine-point streak for the Panthers, who did not trail again for the remainder of the game. By the end of the first quarter they had stretched the lead out to double digits with a 20-10 score.

Pine View scored 23 points in the second quarter and the rout was on, 46-17 at the midway point. The lead was 50 points at the third horn, 73-23.

Papa’s return was immediately appreciated as she led the game with 27 points. She scored 10 points in the second quarter and 12 in the third. Olson was second in the game with 21 points on seven 3-pointers.

Morgan Stout was the only Tiger to break into double digits, scoring 10 points with a pair of buckets from the arc. Hurricane topped out at three field goals in any individual quarter.

The Tigers fall to 5-8 overall and 3-3 in Region 9 play. They travel to Canyon View to take on the Falcons on Tuesday.

Pine View improves to 12-1 and 4-1 in league. The Panthers travel to the Hangar to play the Dixie Flyers next.

— written by Rich Allen

Desert Hills 59, Dixie 29

Enid Vaifanua made her transfer from Dixie to Desert Hills felt in her first matchup against her former team at the Thunderdome.

Julia Jacobsen takes a shot for Desert Hills basketball in its home win over Dixie, St. George, Utah, Jan. 21, 2021 | Photo by Dave Larson, St. George News

The junior was quiet in the first half and held scoreless. The second half was a different story as she exploded for 17 points, 13 of which came in the third quarter alone.

Vaifanua’s scoring was essential for the Thunder’s pull-away effort late, who led at halftime by seven points, 23-16. By the third horn the deficit increased by 22 points.

Julia Jacobsen led the game with 21 points with 12 in the first half. Her 10 field goals alone were as many as the entire Flyers team in the game. Jacobsen and Vaifanua lifted a Desert Hills team missing its primary scorer, Shailee Bundy, who is still out with injury.

Dixie was led in scoring by Addy Shaffer with six points.

The Thunder improve to a perfect 6-0 in Region 9 play and 10-2 overall. They travel to Cedar on Tuesday.

Dixie dropped to 6-6 overall and 4-2 in league. It hosts Pine View next.

— written by Rich Allen

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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